Connecting device for electrical conductors



Dec: 6, 1938.

A. J. HIXON CONNECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed July 13, 1934 13209221 03.- c/Q'Zfred cIHz'ocozw,

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Fild July 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NH B cIHl'xon,

mm R k I WWMXNN Mm QM I I I r 1 1 1/ 1 1 1 k WV 6 W flifiga PatentedDec. 6, 1938 Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONNECTING DEVICE FORELECTRICAL OONDUCTORS Alfred J. Hixon, Braintree, Mass.

Application July 13, 1934, Serial No. 734,971

' 8 Claims. (01. 173-268) My invention relates to connecting devices forconductors was slid over one of the cables, is then electricalconductors as, for example, devices for slid to place it over thesplice, and its ends united splicing cables, connecting cables tojunction and to the lead sheathing of the cables by wiping the otherdistributing boxes, and devices for similar joint therebetween, afterwhich the interior of 6 uses. the lead casing is filled, throughsuitable aper- The invention will be best understood from the turesformed therein, with hot insulating comfoliowing description when readin the lightof pound capable of hardening upon cooling, and theaccompanying drawings of several examples then the apertures are sealedby placing the sheet of the invention, the scope of which latter will beof lead over them and wiping or burning the more particularly pointedout in the appended joint. 10

claims. The splice above described not only is expensive In thedrawings:- to make, due to the amount of highly skilled labor Figure 1is a plan of a cable splice and device involved, but has seriouselectrical and mechanfor splicing cables according to the invention;ical defects. For exampe, a momentary over- Fig. 2 is a section on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1; heating ofvthe cable, due to an overload or shortFig. 3 is a section on the line 3-4 of Fig. 2; circuit, will melt thesolder uniting the ends of Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a fragment ofone the conductors to the solder lug or sleeve, and end ,of the casingaccording to Figs. 1 and 2, with upon cooling of the solder this jointis thereafter parts omitted; commonly mechanically and electrically im-Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the cable splicing paired. Further,alternate heating and cooling device, with parts omitted, as indicatedin Fig. 4; of the splice and gasing internally of the casing Fig. 6 isan end elevation of the rotary member, consequent upon this heatingcause so-called according to Figs. 1 and 2, for operating the cablebreathing of the casing due to the yieldable gripping means, as viewedfrom the end of said nature of sheet lead, and, due to the relativemember adjacent the body of the casing; fragile nature of this material,the resulting 25 Fig. '7 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale,fatigue causes checks which allow moisture to of the conductor unitingmeans and supporting enter the casing. panel therefor according to Fig.2, with parts in It will also be understood by those skilled in thesection and parts broken away; art that cables are commonly connected tojunc- Fig. 8 is an end elevation according to Fig. 7; tion and otherdistributing boxes in a manner 30 Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 ofFig. 7, with similar to that above described involving the use partsomitted; of solder lugs or other solder connections for the Figs. 10, 11and 12 are sections on the lines conductors of the cables and the use oflead casil-lll, li-ii and [2-42, respectively, of Fig. 9; ings havingwiped joint connections to the lead Fig. 13 is an end elevation of theconductor sheathings of the cables. Such a construction 35 'gripper ofFig. 9; has the same defects and objections as above Fig. 14 is a sideelevation according to Fig. 13; referred to in connection with the cablesplice and as commonly heretofore made.

Fig. 15 is an end view of one of the rotatable The present inventionaims to eliminate the 40 members of Fig. 9 for operating the conductordefects of cable splices, connections to junction 40 gripper before themember is assembled with the and other distributing boxes, and similarconnecremainder of e devi and corresponds to tions of cables and theconductors thereof, and view in the direction of the arrows on sectionline t the same t secure connectlons which may 0! be applied with aconsiderable saving in labor and dmg to common Practice, in splicingimproved characteristics in respect to strength cables the lead or othersheathing is stripped from and mechanical and electrical durability andthe end portion of leach cable and the intsulating emciency material ofthe cab e removed to expose e insuted conductor or conductors of thecable. Refe'ring for the gesent particularly to Figs. 50 Theseconductors are then electrically united by 1 to 1 inclusive w onillustrate one form of 50 sunning them at the. and portions andinserting cable splice and device for making such a splice theseportions in a sleeve or dub1e ended solder according to the invention,each of the two cables mg to which they are sweated, afte which t I, asshown, has a lead sheathing 3 and one or cables and lugs are separatelytaped. A lead more conductors 5, herein three, which indisheathing forthe splice, which before uniting the vidually have insulating covers I,the insulated 55 conductors collectively being covered by insulation 8surrounded by the lead cable sheathing.

The casing for the splice, as illustrated, comprises the separableportions ii and II. The portion II, as shown, has a frusto-conicalrecess I! which receives a complementary circumferential end flange iion the portion ii. Conveniently, the contacting surfaces of the recessI5 and flange i1 form a so-called "ground joint" connection so as toform a water tight joint connection between the portions l I and I3 whensaid portions are united by the bolts ii, the latter extending throughperforated ears 2i formed integrally with the portions ii and i3.

As illustrated, the conductors 5 of the cables are electrically andmechanically united to members 23 (Fig. 9), which are carried by a panel25 of Bakelite or other suitable insulating material. As shown, thepanel at its edges is received in a circumferential internal groove ofthe casing formed by the recess ii on the end of the casing member IIand the adjacent recess 21 on the end of the casing member ii. Thepanel, as shown, is notched at 29 on its periphery, or is otherwiseformed, to place the interior of the casing at opposite sides of thepanel in communication to permit proper distribution of the insulatingcompound with which the casing is filled after the splice is made, thecasing for this purpose being provided with the threaded openings 3ithrough which the insulating compound is entered after the splice ismade, whereupon the openings may be closed say with common forms ofscrew plugs.

As shown, the members 23, to which the ends of the conductors 5 of thecable are operatively connected, are inserted in openings 33 in thepanel 25 and are held in position on the panel by collars I! slippedover the members and secured thereto by set screws 31. As shown,rotation between the members 23 and the panel is prevented by keys II.

In the present embodiment of the invention the members 23 are providedwith bores 4i adapted to receive the skinned ends of the conductors 5.If desired, said conductors may be sweated into said openings, but toeliminate the necessity of solder, and the objections hereinbeforepointed out incident to its use, means are preferably provided formechanically operatively locking the ends of the conductors to saidmembers.

To this end, in the present embodiment of the invention, are providedmembers 43 each having a sleeve II which is rotatably mounted on thecylindrical exterior surface of the end portion of a member 23, thelatter being circumferentially grooved, as indicated at 41, and the endof the sleeve ll being compressed to enter said groove so as to retainthe member 43 against longitudinal displacement relative to the member23. Each member 43 is provided with an axial bore 49 coaxial with thebore 4| in the member II, and the bore 40 is counterbored at its endadjacent the member 23 to form an eccentric bearing SI for the exteriorsurface of a ring 53, which latter is provided with a bore II eccentricto the axis of the exterior cylindrical surface of the ring. As shown,the ring 53 is provided on its face adjacent the member 23 with alaterally projecting lug II, this lug entering and loosely fitting aslot II formed in the wall of the member 23, as shown in Figs. 9 and 11.

It will be observed, that when the member 43 is rotated relative to themember 23, the ring 53 is held against substantial rotation relative tothe member 23 by engagement of thelug II with the walls of the slot 59,but, as the eccentric bearing Ii for said ring is rotated with themember 43, the ring will in consequence be moved laterally to move itsbore It laterally relative to the permanently aligned bores ll and 4!.The conductor I is inserted in the registering bores II, II and ll whenthe parts are in their positions illustrated at the left hand side ofPig. 9. After the conductor is inserted the member I is rotated to movethe parts into their positions shown at the right hand side of Fig. 9 tocause the ring 83 to grip the conductor 5, the ring biting into theconductor, which action is facilitated due to the fact that theconductor is commonly stranded.

For determining when the parts are in the positions illustrated at theright and left hand sides, respectively, of Fig. 9, each sleeve ll, asshown, is provided with a pair of lugs ii, and, cooperating with saidlugs, is a stop member I which herein is in the form of a bar llinserted in a slot 1 on the cylindrical surface of the intermediateportion of the member 28, the ends of the bar being bent downward andentering the grooves 41 in the path of the lugs i I When one of the lugsII is against the stop the parts are in their positions illustrated atthe left hand side of Fig. 9, and when the member ll is rotated to movethe other lug Oi against the stop II the parts will be in the positionshown at the right hand side of Fig. 9.

As illustrated, each of the collars II is exteriorly screw threaded forattachment thereto of an insulating sleeve ts of insulating materialsuch as Bakelite, the sleeve being provided with a bore having the screwthreaded portion II for engaging the exterior screw threads on thecollar. a portion 13 which receives the members I! and u, and a portion15 through which passes the insulated portion I of the conductor I.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the cables I pass throughopenings in the ends of the casing for the splice, which casing isprovided with means for gripping the cable so as securely to fasten itthereto, and with means for packing the joint between the walls of theopening and the cable for rendering the joint water tight. To this end,as shown, the ends of the casing members Ii and II have reduced diameterportions 11 which are exteriorly screwthreaded for receiving theinternal screw threads of a sleeve member 10, the end surface ll of saidsleeve member preferably being finished and adapted to abut against thefinished shoulder I! at the inner end of said reduced diameter portionI1. As shown, each end of the casing has a bore 05 aligned with theaxial bore .1 of the adjacent sleeve member II. The bores ll and 81, asshown, are provided with coaxial counterbores 89 and ti, respectively,which receive the end portions of a split ring or sleeve 08 surroundingthe cable. Surrotmding the split sleeve is a ring I! which has a bore .1the axis of which is eccentric to the axis of its exterior cylindricalsurface, which latter rotatably fits a cylindrical bearing a formed as aoounterbore in the sleeve II, the axis of which bearing is eccentric tothe axisofthebores II and I1. Asshowmoneside of the projection formed bythe reduced diameter portion II at the end of the casing is of greaterlength than the opposite side so as to form at opposite sides of saidprojection shoulders III, while the ring I! is similarly formed toprovide at opposite sides thereof shoulders Ill cooperating with theshoulders ill to prevent substantial rotation of the ring in eitherdirection relative to the projection 11 of the casing.

By reason of the above described construction, when one of the sleevemembers 19 is rotated relative to the adjacent projection 11, theeccentric bearing for the ring 95 will be rotated, and substantialrotation of the ring being prevented, the latter will be moved laterallyrelative to said projection and sleeve member 19. When the parts are inthe position illustrated at the left hand end of Fig. 2,-the bore 91 ofthe ring will be coaxial with the bores 85 and 81, but upon rotating themember 19 through a half turn said bore 01 will be moved laterallyrelative to the openings 05 and 81, this action being similar to thatheretofore described with relation to the ring 53 of Figs. 9, 13 and 14for gripping the conductors of the cable. Movement of the sleeve lllaterally is prevented by its engagement at opposite ends thereof withthe walls of the counterbores l9 and 0|, and as a result the sleeve iscontracted when the member 19 is rotated, which causes the sleeve togrip the cable and to bite into the lead sheathing 3 thereof asindicated at the right hand side of Fig. 2.

For insuring that the cable will make a water tight joint with thecasing, in the present embodiment of the invention the sleeve member 19has a reduced diameter portion I05 on which is adapted to be threaded acap I01, the cap having the interior frusto-conical surface I" opposedto the oppositely inclined frusto-conical surface H I on the end of thesleeve member 10 for 00-. operating with and compressing a suitablepacking H3 surrounding the cable.

Conveniently, for holding the conductors 5 in spaced relation within thecasing, and for causing them properly to enter the conductor unitingmembers 23, and facilitating making the splice,

spacing means II! are provided, the latterfbeing formed of Bakelite orother insulating material and comprising cylindrical members each havinga frusto-conical end portion H1, said members being provided on theirexteriors with grooves H0 of arcuate cross-section for receiving andguiding the conductors.

In forming the splice above described, the packing caps I01, and thenthe casing members II and ii, are slipped over the ends of the cables,with the rings 00 and split sleeves 93 in position and the sleevemembers 19 backed oil. one-half turn. the latter as indicated at theleft hand side of Fig. 2. The ends of the cables are then stripped, andpreferably, but not necessarily, flanged, as indicated at III, theflanges conveniently being at such distances from the ends of the cablesas to bring the flanges against the interior annular shoulders I23 atthe ends of the members II and 13 after the casing members are drawntogether upon completion of the splice. The insulated conductors 5 arethen exposed and their ends skinned, and are bent over the members III.A sleeve 89 is slid over the end of each of the conductors, as indicatedat the lower right hand side of Fig. 2. The skinned ends of theconductors are then entered into the bores of the conductor unitingmembers 23, and the relatively rotatable members 43 on said members 23are then rotated to cause the conductors to be secured to the members23. The insulating sleeves 09 are now slid over the members 23 andscrewed on the collars 35. The halves H and 13 of the casing may then beslid along the cable to bring them together, and the bolts l9 placed inposition and tightened. Next the caps 19 are rotated to bring their endfaces Ii up against the shoulders 03, white lead or the like preferablybeing placed in the spaces between the shoulders BI and 83, or, ifdesired, over the screw threads on the projection 11 preparatory toscrewing the cap 18 on said projection, so as to make a water tightjoint between the cap member and the casing. The packing H3 is thenwrapped around the cable adjacent the end of the cap 10, unless thepacking is inthe form of an integral ring in which latter case it may beplaced in the cap I01 before the latter is placed on the cable, and thecap I01 is screwed on the member 10 to pack the joint about the cable.

It will be understood, that although a cable with three conductors .isherein shown, the invention is equally applicable to cables with one orany number of conductors, and is further applicable to conductors whichhave other than lead sheaths. j

I claim:

1. A housing for the end of an insulated cable or the like having, incombination, a casing provided with an opening through which the end ofsaid cable may be entered into the casing,

radially contractible means carried by said casing for gripping theinsulated portion of the cable within said opening substantiallythroughout the circumference thereof for securing the cable to thecasing, means for contracting said radially contractible meanscomprising a ring surrounding said contractible means and movable as abody radially of said opening, and means having a connection with saidring for so moving it comprising a ring member surrounding said cableand rotatably mounted on said casing.

2. A housing for the end of an insulated cable or the like having, incombination, a casing provided with an opening through which the end ofsaid cable may be entered into the casing. means carried by said casingfor gripping the insulated portion of the cable within said openingcomprisinga contractible resilient split ring for securing the cable .tothe casing, a ring part carried by said casing and surrounding saidsplit ring, andmeans having a connection with said part for bodilymoving it radially of said split ring for contracting the lattercomprising a second ring part surrounding the cable and rotatablymounted on said casing.

3. A housing for the end of an insulated cable or the like having, incombinatioma casing provided with an opening through which the end ofsaid cable may be entered into the casing, means carried by said casingfor gripping the insulated portion of the cable within said opening forsecuring it to the casing, said means comprising a contractibleresilient split ring contacting the cable, a ring part for contractingsaid split ring, which part is carried by said casing and surrounds saidsplit ring, a second ring part surrounding the cable and having abearing on said casing, said first mentioned ring part having a bearingon said second ring part, one of said bearings being coaxial with thecable and the other eccentric therewith whereby when said second ringpart is rotated on its bearing said first mentioned ring part will bemoved radially of the cable.

4. A housing for the end of an insulated cable or the like having, incombination, a casing member provided with an opening through which theend of said cable may be entered into the 1 member for gripping theinsulated portion of the cable within said opening for seeming it to thecasing, said means comprising a hollow part surrounding the cable androtatable relative to said casing member, a split ring surrounding thecable, spaced mountings formed in said part and casing memberrespectively for receiving the exterior surface of said ring, a ringmember surrounding said split ring between said mountings, said ringmember having an annular surface eccentric to the axis of said splitring, and means comprising an eccentric bearing for receiving saidannular surface formed on one of the members constituted by said partand easing member and a stop connection between the other and said ringmember for causing the latter to be moved laterally for contracting saidsplit ring when said part is rotated relative to said casing member.

5. A housing for the end of an insulated cable having, in combination, acasing provided with an opening through which the end of said cable maybe entered into the casing, means for gripping the insulated portion ofthe cable within said opening comprising a contractible gripperrestrained against bodily movement relative to said casing, meanssurrounding and having a connection with said gripper and bodily movableradially of the cable for contracting said gripper, means surroundingthe cable and rotatable relative to the casing and having a connectionwith the last mentioned means for so moving it, and packing means forthe joint between the cable and the walls of said opening.

6. A device for gripping a cable or the like having, in combination, apair of generally aligned relatively rotatable members having alignedopenings coaxial with the axis of relative rotation of said members forreceiving the cable, a ring having a bore eccentric to the axis thereof,a bearing for said ring on one of said members eccentric to said axis ofrelative rotation, cooperating abutments for preventing substantialaxial rotation of said ring relative to the other of said members, asplit sleeve within the bore of said ring, and a bearing for an exteriorend surface of said ring on at least one of said members coaxial withsaid axis of relative rotation.

7. A housing for the end of an insulated cable having, in combination, acasing having a relatively rotatable part formed with an opening throughwhich the cable may be entered into the casing, means surrounding thecable and mov able as a body radially thereof, means forming aconnection between said part and the first mentioned means for causingthe latter to be so moved by rotation of said part, contractible meanssurrounding the cable and operated by such radial movement of said firstmentioned means for gripping the insulated portion of the cable foroperatively securing the latter to the casing, and means carried by saidpart for packing the joint between it and said cable. I

8. A housing for the end of an insulated cable having, in combination, acasing having a relatively rotatable part formed with an opening throughwhich the cable may be entered into the casing, means surrounding thecable and movable as a body radially thereof, means forming a connectionbetween said part and the first mentioned means for causing the latterto be so moved by rotation of said part, contractible means surroundingthe cable and operated by such radial movement of said first mentionedmeans for gripping the insulated portion of the cable substantiallythroughout its circumference for operatively securing the latter to thecasing, and means carried by said part for packing the joint between itand said cable.

ALFRED J. mxou.

